| registration-now-available-for-all-physician-leadership-trainings-in-2026 | Registration Now Available for All Physician Leadership Trainings in 2026 | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2025/november-14/registration-now-available-for-all-physician-leadership-trainings-in-2026 | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2025/november/image002.jpg" class="pull-right" alt="people in meeting room listening to a speaker" /></div>
<h5>Nov. 14, 2025</h5>
<h2>Registration Now Available for All Physician Leadership Trainings in 2026 </h2>
<p>Make the WSMA's Center for Leadership Development your home for professional development in 2026, to help you hone competencies not taught in medical school but increasingly important to thrive in your chosen career path both professionally and personally. You'll join a growing cohort of physician alumni throughout Washington state, many of whom have since moved into leadership tracks in their practice settings. WSMA's leadership courses are led by Edward A. Walker, MD, MHA. Non-WSMA member pricing is available for all courses. These activities have been approved for <em>AMA PRA Category 1 Credit</em>â„¢.</p>
<h3><strong>Physician Leadership Course - </strong><strong><em>Most popular! </em></strong> </h3>
<p><em>Two hybrid-distance options available </em> </p>
<p>The WSMA's <a href="[@]wsma/education/physician_leadership/physician_leadership_course/wsma/physician_leadership/physician_leadership_course/physician_leadership_course.aspx?hkey=efdc4ad1-ff20-4089-ab51-caafbe73572b">Physician Leadership Course</a> combines face-to-face and online learning to enable physicians and physician assistants to begin developing and honing their leadership skills at their convenience. Designed with a physician's busy schedule in mind, only three in-person classes are required; the remainder of the course is conducted online. Two sessions will be offered in 2026. Space is limited; <a href="[@]wsma/education/physician_leadership/physician_leadership_course/wsma/physician_leadership/physician_leadership_course/physician_leadership_course.aspx?hkey=efdc4ad1-ff20-4089-ab51-caafbe73572b">register</a> to reserve your spot today.</p>
<p>March 6 - May 8, 2026 - <em>Space is filling fast, register soon! </em> </p>
<p>Sept. 11 - Nov. 20, 2026</p>
<h3><strong>Team-Based Leadership Course </strong></h3>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Sept. 18 - Oct. 16, 2026 </em> </p>
<p>A month-long hybrid-distance course with three live educational workshop days intended for physicians and their administrative partners who wish to improve team function and achieve greater operational success. The <a href="[@]wsma/education/physician_leadership/team-based-leadership-course/wsma/physician_leadership/dyad_leadership_course/dyad_leadership_course.aspx?hkey=37c40fee-c1ac-4056-a613-cd82a083db6c">Team-Based Leadership Course</a> develops knowledge and skills based on your operational needs and is adapted to fit the specific clinical culture of participating teams. Registrants must have completed the WSMA Physician Leadership Course or be on a leadership track within their practice or organization. Space is limited; <a href="[@]wsma/education/physician_leadership/team-based-leadership-course/wsma/physician_leadership/dyad_leadership_course/dyad_leadership_course.aspx?hkey=37c40fee-c1ac-4056-a613-cd82a083db6c">register</a> to reserve your spot today.</p>
<h3><strong>Leadership Masterclass </strong></h3>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Oct. 8-10, 2026 </em> </p>
<p>WSMA's <a href="[@]wsma/education/physician_leadership/leadership_masterclass/wsma/physician_leadership/leadership_masterclass/leadership_masterclass.aspx?hkey=b3ffc0a4-6cad-4a06-98aa-6e1a5e1e64b2">Leadership Masterclass</a> is an intensive three-day adaptive-learning course that examines the complex challenges faced by seasoned physician leaders and provides the tools necessary to solve them. The course will provide additional growth opportunities to physicians who have completed our <a href="https://wsma.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xMjE0OTkwNiZwPTEmdT0xMDc4MTA4MzYwJmxpPTExODQ3MjUwNw/index.html">Physician Leadership Course</a> and have moved on to middle levels of management in their facilities. Space is limited; <a href="[@]wsma/education/physician_leadership/leadership_masterclass/wsma/physician_leadership/leadership_masterclass/leadership_masterclass.aspx?hkey=b3ffc0a4-6cad-4a06-98aa-6e1a5e1e64b2">register</a> to reserve your spot today.</p>
<h3><strong>WSMA LEAD Program</strong></h3>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Flexible schedules</em> </p>
<p>Looking for one-on-one leadership coaching? Check out WSMA's LEAD Program, an integrated model that combines traditional coaching with operational mentorship advice. Perfect for physicians or physician assistants who may prefer more personalized and flexible education. Learn more on the <a href="https://wsma.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xMjE0OTkwNiZwPTEmdT0xMDc4MTA4MzYwJmxpPTExODQ3MjUxMA/index.html">program webpage</a> </p>
<h3><strong>Questions</strong></h3>
<p> </p>
<p>Visit the <a href="https://wsma.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xMjE0OTkwNiZwPTEmdT0xMDc4MTA4MzYwJmxpPTExODQ3MjUwOQ/index.html">WSMA Center for Leadership Development</a> to learn more about these courses and other resources designed with your career and personal development in mind. Questions? Contact <a href="mailto:monica@wsma.org">Monica Salgaonkar</a>.</p>
</div> | 11/14/2025 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| wsma-joins-others-in-calling-for-hhs-secretary-kennedys-resignation | WSMA Joins Others in Calling for HHS Secretary Kennedy's Resignation | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2025/november-14/wsma-joins-others-in-calling-for-hhs-secretary-kennedys-resignation | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2025/november/dept-health-and-human-services-hq-sign-washington-dc-2025-02-07-13-58-43-1.jpg" class="pull-right" alt="HHS Building" /></div>
<h5>Nov. 14, 2025</h5>
<h2>WSMA Joins Others in Calling for HHS Secretary Kennedy's Resignation </h2>
<p>WSMA President Bridget Bush, MD, this week issued a message to WSMA members: </p>
<p>"Earlier this year, the Washington State Medical Association issued a <a href="[@]Shared_Content/News/Press_Release/2025/president-john-bramhall-md-phd-reaffirms-the-wsmas-commitment-to-medical-ethics">statement</a> reaffirming its support for the AMA Principles of Medical Ethics, a code of conduct for the physician profession that calls for a dedication to professional integrity and a recognition of patient welfare as paramount. That statement was prompted by a series of concerning actions from our federal administration, central among them the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the country's leading authority on matters of health care over the concerns of thousands of <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25482818-committee-to-protect-health-care-rfk-jr/">physicians</a> and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/09/health/kennedy-hhs-nobel-laureates.html">scientists</a> who pointed to his lack of credentials, his lack of respect for scientific evidence, and his attacks on established medical approaches to disease prevention, such as vaccination, as rendering him unsuitable for assuming the charge of Americans' health and welfare.</p>
<p>"Soon after releasing that statement, the WSMA was compelled to <a href="[@]Shared_Content/News/Press_Release/2025/defendants-in-wsma-v-kennedy-agree-to-restore-deleted-public-health-data">sue Sec. Kennedy and the Department of Health and Human Services</a> to stop the deletion of vital public health and science data from taxpayer-funded websites. We believed this nonpartisan action was critical for restoring information access, promoting transparency, and supporting the evidence-based decision-making at the heart of the patient-physician relationship, and fully in accordance with the ethical principles that guide the physician profession.</p>
<p>"Now, at the request of the Infectious Diseases Society of Washington, the WSMA has joined more than 50 medical organizations, including more than 20 national medical associations, in signing on to <a href="https://www.idsociety.org/news--publications-new/articles/2025/joint-statement-calling-for-secretary-kennedy-resignation/">a letter calling for Secretary Kennedy's resignation to protect the health of the American people</a>. This decision was reached after careful consideration by our executive committee and board of trustees.</p>
<p>"This is not a political or partisan stance, but rather one grounded in what's best for patients and community health and wellness. As trained health care professionals, we have a responsibility to speak when we see anti-science actions that undermine public health and safety of our patients. In the past several months, we have witnessed a consistent pattern of behavior that has undermined scientific integrity, disrupted the work of our Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Department of Health and Human Services, sowed vaccine policy disinformation and confusion, and helped to spread unproven and dangerous medical advice.</p>
<p>"We cannot stand by and tolerate these injustices to our population which will inevitably cost lives. We stand with the 50 medical organizations, as well as the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Physicians, and others who call for the replacement of Secretary Kennedy with an appointee who has appropriate experience and expertise, who will make health care decisions based on accurate data and scientific findings." </p>
<h3>Keep WSMA's voice strong </h3>
<p>Regardless of the challenges confronting us, providing leadership for Washington's physician community and ensuring physicians have a strong voice for safe, quality, and equitable care is WSMA's value proposition to its members. Membership support makes our work for you possible. Please take a moment to <a href="[@]wsma/membership/join_renew/wsma/membership/join_renew/join_renew.aspx?hkey=37a820cf-9d05-4812-b9dd-c29b9a75356d">renew your membership for 2026</a>. Thank you.</p>
</div> | 11/14/2025 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| wsma-reports-the-intersection-of-wall-street-and-the-exam-room | WSMA Reports: The Intersection of Wall Street and the Exam Room | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2025/november-14/wsma-reports-the-intersection-of-wall-street-and-the-exam-room | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2025/november/nov-dec-2025-reports-cover-cropped-645x425px.png" class="pull-right" alt="WSMA Reports November/December 2025 cover" /></div>
<h5>Nov. 14, 2025</h5>
<h2>WSMA Reports: The Intersection of Wall Street and the Exam Room </h2>
<p>The growing presence of private equity in the health care industry has sparked a debate about the corporate practice of medicine, with some concerned about the potential for interference in clinical care and others seeing private equity investment as an opportunity to maintain the viability and independence of their organizations. For our <a href="[@]Shared_Content/News/Latest_News/2025/the-intersection-of-wall-street-and-the-exam-room">November/December 2025 <em>WSMA Reports </em>feature story</a> (members only; sign-in required), writer John Gallagher talks with WSMA members on both sides of the issue, as well as legal experts and WSMA staff on the regulatory environment in Washington state and what to expect during the 2026 legislative session.</p>
<p>Elsewhere, feature writer Rita Colorito checks in Washington physicians and subject matter experts to discuss <a href="[@]Shared_Content/News/Latest_News/2025/healthy-food-resources-better-health">"food is medicine"</a> (members only; sign-in required), the evidence-based movement to integrate healthy food into health care delivery.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, with today's outpatient settings coming in all shapes and sizes, peer review-once viewed as a punitive process-has become a strategic necessity to ensure patient safety and clinical excellence. Our trusted partners at Physicians Insurance <a href="[@]Shared_Content/News/Latest_News/2025/a-safer-smarter-approach-to-peer-review-and-patient-care">explain why</a>.</p>
<p>Download the <a href="https://wsma.org/doc_library/news/wsma-reports-6-nov-dec-2025.pdf" target="_blank">November/December 2025 <em>WSMA Reports</em></a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Also in the issue: </p>
<ul>
<li>Member spotlight on <a href="[@]Shared_Content/News/Latest_News/2025/member-spotlight-lucinda-grande-md">Lucinda (Cindy) Grande, MD</a>.</li>
<li>A photo recap of the 2025 WSMA Annual Meeting.</li>
<li><a href="[@]Shared_Content/News/Latest_News/2025/doctors-making-a-difference-patricia-egwuatu-do">Patricia Egwuatu, DO</a> is a doctor making a difference.</li>
<li>Food is medicine by the numbers.</li>
<li><a href="[@]Shared_Content/News/Latest_News/2025/advocates-for-health-and-humanity.aspx">Heartbeat: Two poems by Toren Davis, DO, and Bridget Bush, MD</a>.</li>
<li>And more.</li>
</ul>
<p>This issue's cover illustration is by <a href="https://www.purplerainillustrators.com/mar-hernndez-malota/editorial">Mar Hernández</a>.</p>
</div> | 11/14/2025 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| wsma-social-media-toolkit-and-initiative-dedicated-to-promoting-evidence-based-health-guidance | WSMA Social Media Toolkit and Initiative Dedicated to Promoting Evidence-Based Health Guidance | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2025/november-14/wsma-social-media-toolkit-and-initiative-dedicated-to-promoting-evidence-based-health-guidance | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2025/november/teen-with-smartphone-645x425px.jpg" class="pull-right" alt="Person using a smartphone" /></div>
<h5>Nov. 14, 2025</h5>
<h2>WSMA Social Media Toolkit and Initiative Dedicated to Promoting Evidence-Based Health Guidance </h2>
<p>To help counter the spread of incorrect or misleading health guidance in the news, whether from recent federal pronouncements or from viral social media, the WSMA is actively working to highlight trusted, evidence-based health messages in the public arena. For trusted health guidance, we turn to our "big five" association partners: the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American College of Physicians, and the American Psychiatric Association. To reach patients, the WSMA is leveraging its digital communications tools, including its website and social media channels, and network effects by disseminating toolkits and information broadly to the physician community. Helping patients to navigate health guidance is a key plank of our AMA-driven "Your Care Is at Our Core" campaign to restore patient trust and the patient-physician relationship.</p>
<p>In an example of this effort, ACOG recently asked that we help to highlight their patient guidance on <a href="https://www.acog.org/womens-health/experts-and-stories/ask-acog/is-it-safe-to-take-acetaminophen-during-pregnancy">acetaminophen during pregnancy</a>. We've since posted the ACOG statement on our website and our social accounts and incorporated the message into a new social media toolkit. As news breaks at the federal level that may cause confusion, the WSMA will use these dedicated channels for our specialty partners to post the facts.</p>
<p>Two new resources are now available to members: </p>
<ul>
<li>New WSMA webpage for patients: <a href="[@]wsma/resources/Questions_About_Your_Care/do_you_have_questions_about_your_care.aspx">Do You Have Questions About Your Care?</a> </li>
<li>New <a href="javascript://[Uploaded files/Advocacy/WSMA-Social-Toolkit-Q4-2025.docx]">social media toolkit</a> for physicians and physician organizations.</li>
</ul>
<p>If there are any messages your organization would like us to consider for this effort, please send to WSMA Communications Manager Katie Howard at <a href="mailto:katiehoward@wsma.org">katiehoward@wsma.org</a> at any time.</p>
</div> | 11/14/2025 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| wsma-supports-legislation-to-repeal-medicare-prior-authorization-pilot-program | WSMA Supports Legislation to Repeal Medicare Prior Authorization Pilot Program | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2025/november-14/wsma-supports-legislation-to-repeal-medicare-prior-authorization-pilot-program | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2025/november/doc-on-phone-prior-auth-istock-187203977-645x425px.jpg" class="pull-right" alt="doctor on phone, rubbing temple of head" /></div>
<h5>Nov. 14, 2025</h5>
<!-- ***************************************************** -->
<h2>WSMA Supports Legislation to Repeal Medicare Prior Authorization Pilot Program </h2>
<p>The WSMA is supporting a bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives last week that seeks to block the <a href="[@]Shared_Content/News/advocacy-report/2025/september-5/medicare-launching-ai-prior-authorization-pilot-program">new Medicare prior authorization pilot program</a> due to begin in January in select states. Sponsored by Suzan DelBene (WA-0) and co-signed by Kim Schrier, MD (WA-08) and Rick Larsen (WA-02) among others, the Seniors Deserve SMARTER (Streamlined Medical Approvals for Timely, Efficient Recovery) Care Act would repeal the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction model, the utilization management demonstration being piloted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in Washington as well as Arizona, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Texas.</p>
<p>In addition to advocating for the bill's passage, the WSMA continues to raise concerns about the pilot program, which will apply prior authorization requirements to selected services with third-party artificial intelligence vendors playing a significant role in determinations. As we reported in last week's Advocacy Report, the WSMA led a coalition of state medical associations from the six impacted states to send a <a href="https://wsma.informz.net/WSMA/data/images/Attachments/WISeR%20coalition%20letter_11042025.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">letter to CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz expressing serious concerns</a> about the model. In our letter, we stress the following points: </p>
<ul>
<li>While the program aims to improve accountability and reduce waste in Medicare, its current design could delay care, reduce access, and increase administrative burdens on physicians and patients alike.</li>
<li>The WISeR Model expands the burdensome prior authorization processes that physicians already experience in Medicare Advantage and the commercial insurance markets into traditional Medicare.</li>
<li>The vendor incentive structure within the WISeR Model could result in excessive denials motivated more by the potential for vendor profit than by fair and balanced clinical judgment. (Note: CMS announced last week that Virtix Health would serve as the AI vendor for Washington state.) </li>
</ul>
<p>About half of Washington state's 1.6 million Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in traditional Medicare. With this controversial program, those Washingtonians will soon be at risk of experiencing the same care delays and denials familiar to physicians and that increasingly characterize prior authorization in the media. With patient care a top priority, the WSMA is continuing to share our concerns with the public, with recent stories published in the <a href="https://click.everyaction.com/k/115976411/572075883/-4717972?nvep=ew0KICAiVGVuYW50VXJpIjogIm5ncHZhbjovL3Zhbi9TTldTUi9TTldTUi8xLzEwNDc4MiIsDQogICJEaXN0cmlidXRpb25VbmlxdWVJZCI6ICJiMDVlZjZkMy1lODlhLWYwMTEtOGU2MS02MDQ1YmRlZDhiYTQiLA0KICAiRW1haWxBZGRyZXNzIjogInNlYW5Ad3NtYS5vcmciDQp9&amp;hmac=qm-hqbZyZ_Osk7fvc7XWxDMgAvbLJ8O2Jdqahdaaetw=&amp;emci=b20653d1-679a-f011-b485-6045bda9d96b&amp;emdi=b05ef6d3-e89a-f011-8e61-6045bded8ba4&amp;ceid=75533">Washington State Standard</a> and <a href="https://www.modernhealthcare.com/politics-regulation/mh-wiser-model-medicare-prior-authorization-providers/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20Daily%20Health%20Policy%20Report&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_fpiSJiaVBK5k3huIh9T89mZeB879nNbMxTYW1X4R8nehBU2GUUUE3y6rRqBtiHgKHaQSmjSXmf4JBRiEwEsogl0v4iA&amp;_hsmi=388105771&amp;utm_content=388105771&amp;utm_source=hs_email">Modern Healthcare</a>.</p>
<p>The WSMA will keep members apprised of developments as the implementation date grows closer.</p>
</div> | 11/14/2025 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| advocates-for-health-and-humanity | Advocates for Health and Humanity | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Latest_News/2025/advocates-for-health-and-humanity | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/Reports/2025/november-december/heartbeat-website-image-davis-bush-645x425px.png" class="pull-right" alt="Heartbeat column graphic, with Toren Davis, DO and Bridget Bush, MD" /></div>
<h5>Nov. 12, 2025</h5>
<h2>Advocates for Health and Humanity</h2>
<p>
By Toren S. Davis, DO, And Bridget Bush, MD
</p>
<p>
<em>From the Editors:</em> It's not often that you have a poem to publish in a physician general interest magazine and it's that much rarer to have two. But in this issue, we thought that Heartbeat- our regular column featuring the passionate perspectives of individual members-would be the appropriate place to publish two such poems that found their way across our desks. Each is timely and beautiful, and we hope you agree.
</p>
<p> First, from WSMA member Toren Davis, DO, who says, "I wanted to share my poem that was published earlier this year about our duty to advocate for our patients and health. Please share to anyone you would like." </p>
<p>
<em>Through the ancient words of Hippocrates<br />
we took an oath to fight disease.<br />
To see each patient's entire person<br />
and the many ways their health may worsen.<br />
So what happens when it comes to be,<br />
that disease is born from policy?<br />
When the greatest threats to a person's health<br />
are politics, power, and prospect of wealth?<br />
As these disorders show their intent,<br />
the treatment plan includes dissent.<br />
To refute what brings a person harm,<br />
and project our voice to sound alarm.<br />
If we neglect or fail to act,<br />
our oath does not survive intact.<br />
And the human lives that are at stake,<br />
will lose their shield of staff and snake.</em>
</p>
<p>
Next, from WSMA's new president for 2025-2026, Bridget Bush, MD, come these moving lines, which she included in her inaugural speech before the WSMA House of Delegates. She says, "I've struggled with depression and feeling disconnected, and I've learned that it's healthy to have a mask-literally and figuratively-at work to stay safe. Sometimes it's vital to help you to compartmentalize so you don't fall apart when everything around you is falling apart. I've also learned, however, that you have to have people and places where you're safe without the mask."
</p>
<p>
<em>I wear a mask at work<br />
I wear a mask to work<br />
I hide behind professionalism<br />
I tell myself-my mask keeps me safe<br />
I tell myself-my mask keeps you safe<br />
The less you know of my pain<br />
The less I show of what's inside<br />
The safer we are<br />
From questions<br />
From looks<br />
From fear that I'm not enough<br />
Well enough<br />
Keep it together<br />
Keep it hidden<br />
Keep it to yourself<br />
They tell me wellness is putting my own mask on first<br />
Perhaps I should turn on the oxygen too<br />
</em>
</p>
<p>
To watch Dr. Bush deliver her inaugural address, visit <a href="https://wsma.org/annual-meeting">wsma.org/annual-meeting</a>.
</p>
<p>
<em><strong>Toren Davis, DO</strong>, is a family physician affiliated with PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver. <strong>Bridget Bush, MD</strong>, is an anesthesiologist in Everett with Optum Care Washington and serves as president of the WSMA.</em>
</p>
<p>
<em>This article was featured in the November/December 2025 issue of WSMA Reports, WSMA's print magazine.</em>
</p>
</div> | 11/12/2025 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| a-safer-smarter-approach-to-peer-review-and-patient-care | A Safer, Smarter Approach to Peer Review and Patient Care | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Latest_News/2025/a-safer-smarter-approach-to-peer-review-and-patient-care | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/Reports/2025/november-december/nov-dec-2025-reports-cover-cropped-645x425px.png" class="pull-right" alt="cover image from November-December 2025 issue of WSMA Reports" /></div>
<h5>Nov. 11, 2025</h5>
<h2>A Safer, Smarter Approach to Peer Review and Patient Care</h2>
<p>
By Brock Bordelon, MD And Sara Cameron
</p>
<p>
In today's rapidly evolving health care environment, peer review is no longer simply an administrative requirement. It has become a strategic necessity to ensure patient safety and clinical excellence. Whether it's deployed properly in hospitals or outpatient facilities, peer review plays a pivotal role in elevating care quality, reducing risk, and strengthening trust across clinical teams.
</p>
<h3>From punitive to proactive</h3>
<p>
In the past, peer review was often viewed as a punitive process, focused on finding fault in individual clinicians after an adverse event. Today's best practices emphasize a vastly different approach: continuous quality monitoring. Instead of looking at isolated complications in hindsight, modern peer review focuses on real-time trends and system-level concerns.
</p>
<p>
This shift encourages timely, unbiased feedback and helps organizations intervene before problems escalate. Well-designed peer review should no longer be about catching mistakes. It should be about learning from them and ensuring they don't recur. Caring for patients is the bottom line of any setting, and it's the responsibility of the medical staff to ensure that patients are receiving quality care.
</p>
<h3>A foundation of patient safety</h3>
<p>
Peer review is more than a compliance box to check. It's a frontline defense for patient safety. By evaluating care delivery through structured, objective criteria, peer review helps identify both individual and systemic issues that might otherwise go unnoticed.
</p>
<p>
This is particularly crucial in outpatient settings, where the clinical infrastructure can vary widely. Whether reviewing clinical notes, follow-up protocols, or procedural outcomes, peer review provides an opportunity to catch small concerns before they become larger risks. That goes for patients, physicians, and organizations alike.
</p>
<h3>Powered by clinical quality data</h3>
<p>
One of the most important developments in peer review is its integration with clinical quality data. Rather than relying on subjective case reviews, modern peer-review efforts draw on outcome metrics, documentation audits, and data trends. This enables reviewers to make evidence-based decisions that reflect real patterns of care.
</p>
<p>
These insights are especially powerful when combined with other quality tools like incident reports, root cause analyses, and patient satisfaction data. When seen together, they paint a more accurate, and actionable, picture of clinical performance.
</p>
<p>
Such data integration also enables comparative benchmarking, allowing clinics to evaluate how their processes stack up against peers or national standards. This can drive targeted improvement efforts and reduce unwarranted variations in care.
</p>
<h3>Credentialing, privileging, and professional practice evaluation</h3>
<p>
Another essential function of peer review is its role in credentialing and privileging. Today, regulatory bodies and accrediting organizations increasingly expect health care settings to move beyond one- time verifications and engage in continuous assessment of professional practice.
</p>
<p>
Peer review is often the cornerstone of ongoing professional practice evaluation and focused professional practice evaluation. These processes ensure that clinicians are consistently performing within the scope of their training and privileges, and that any emerging issues are addressed proactively.
</p>
<p>
Peer review helps credentialing committees make informed, fair decisions based on data and peer insight rather than hearsay or incomplete records.
</p>
<h3>Building a culture of safety and trust</h3>
<p>
Effective peer review supports both patient outcomes and clinician well- being and organizational culture. A collaborative approach to peer review can strengthen trust among the health care team, reduce burnout, and create a shared sense of accountability.
</p>
<p>
To get there, organizations must invest in reviewer training, clear processes, and psychological safety. This ensures that clinicians can give and receive feedback without fear of reprisal. Peer review should be collegial, consistent, and constructive, not a tool for turf battles or punitive actions.
</p>
<h3>Getting started</h3>
<p>
For organizations looking to implement
or improve a peer-review program, we
recommend:
</p>
<ul>
<li>Start with structure: Define clear criteria, workflows, and timelines for reviews.</li>
<li>Use multidisciplinary reviewers: Engage peers from similar specialties who understand the nuances of the clinical scenarios being evaluated.</li>
<li>Leverage quality data: Integrate peer review with clinical dashboards, risk reports, and quality initiatives.</li>
<li>Link to professional development: Use insights to guide mentoring, education, and privileging decisions.</li>
</ul>
<h3>A smarter path to safer care</h3>
<p>
In the end, peer review is more than a regulatory checkbox. It's a practical, data-informed way to make care better. As health care organizations face increasing complexity, regulatory pressure, and patient expectations, a well-run peer-review process can help clinics and other outpatient settings stay ahead of risk, strengthen clinical teams, and keep patients safer. By embracing peer review as a tool for learning, health care organizations can lead with transparency, improve outcomes, and create a culture where quality is everyone's responsibility.
</p>
<p>
<em><strong>Brock Bordelon, MD, FACS</strong>, is a surgery medical director and <strong>Sara Cameron</strong> a director of professional services with MDReview - A Hardenbergh Company.</em>
</p>
<p>
<em>This article was featured in the November/December 2025 issue of WSMA Reports, WSMA's print magazine.</em>
</p>
</div> | 11/11/2025 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| doctors-making-a-difference-patricia-egwuatu-do | Doctors Making a Difference: Patricia Egwuatu, DO | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Latest_News/2025/doctors-making-a-difference-patricia-egwuatu-do | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/Reports/2025/november-december/dmd-website-image-egwuatu-645x425px.png" class="pull-right" alt="Doctors Making a Difference: Patricia Egwuatu, DO" /></div>
<h5>Nov. 10, 2025</h5>
<h2>Doctors Making a Difference: Patricia Egwuatu, DO</h2>
<p>
For Patricia Egwuatu, DO, a family physician at Kaiser Permanente's Capitol Hill clinic in Seattle, having conversations about evidence-based health information through her Instagram and TikTok accounts came as a natural extension of her commitment to advocacy and education. Her reach on social media has led to an even bigger platform: As a regular contributor on Fox 13's "Healthy Living" television segment, she's aiming to start conversations about topics that often don't make it out of the exam room and help the public make informed decisions about their health. She talked with <em>WSMA Reports</em> about what led her to the role and why physicians continue to be the best messengers for fact-based health care information.
</p>
<p>
<strong><em>WSMA Reports:</em> How did your role as a contributor to Fox 13's "Healthy Living" segment come about and why did you decide to do it?</strong>
</p>
<p>
<em>Dr. Egwuatu: </em>My interest in becoming a medical media correspondent started during residency. At the time, my sister was in medical school, and we often had conversations about our journeys and how we could encourage others to pursue careers in medicine. As Black female physicians, who represent only about 2% of the workforce, and as daughters of immigrants, we felt inspired to share our upbringing and experiences. That led us to start an Instagram account, which gained traction, opened doors to interviews, and gave us a platform to highlight our voices.
</p>
<p>
At the same time, I was deeply engaged in health equity work through my role as associate program director of equity, inclusion, and diversity. I began using social media, including Instagram and TikTok, to share evidence-based health information and connect with the community. That growing engagement in medical media, along with my work at Kaiser Permanente, ultimately led to the opportunity with Fox 13's "Healthy Living" segment.
</p>
<p>
I chose to do the segment because it allows me to extend my passion for advocacy and education beyond the clinic. It's a meaningful way to engage with the broader community while providing accessible, evidence-based health information that empowers people to make informed decisions about their health.
</p>
<p>
<strong>What topics do you feel are most important to be talking about in this context?</strong>
</p>
<p>
I think some of the most important topics to highlight are the conversations that often happen in the doctor's office but don't always make it into broader community discussions. Many people are looking for reliable information yet don't always know where to turn. For example, breast cancer screening or discussions around hormone testing and hormone replacement therapy are questions I frequently encounter. Segments like these are a valuable way to bring that information to the public in an accessible, evidence-based format so individuals feel empowered when making decisions about their health.
</p>
<p>
<strong>With limited time on air, how do you get the information across in a way that will be impactful for a broad audience?</strong>
</p>
<p>
I'm fortunate to have a great team at Kaiser Permanente that helps guide, research, and provide evidence-based information for each topic, which I then tailor with my own expertise. To make sure the message is impactful for a broad audience, I draw on my media training to present the information in a clear and digestible way. I also practice with my partner and my sister, who remind me to communicate as if I'm speaking directly to them making the conversation relatable and accessible.
</p>
<p>
<strong>Why do you think it's important to have a physician be the messenger for these types of public health topics?</strong>
</p>
<p>
Physicians are often viewed as a trusted source of information. We have the knowledge and expertise to provide evidence-based guidance, and that credibility helps ensure people feel confident in the information they're receiving, especially when it comes to making decisions about their health.
</p>
<p>
<strong>What are some challenges you see in reaching people with evidence-based public health information?</strong>
</p>
<p>
One of the biggest challenges is the sheer amount of information available today. People are constantly exposed to health messages from so many different sources, and not all of them are accurate. That can make it difficult to cut through the noise and highlight reliable, evidence-based information in a way that resonates with the public.
</p>
<p>
<em>This article was featured in the November/December 2025 issue of WSMA Reports, WSMA's print magazine.</em>
</p>
</div> | 11/10/2025 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| the-intersection-of-wall-street-and-the-exam-room | The Intersection of Wall Street and the Exam Room | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Latest_News/2025/the-intersection-of-wall-street-and-the-exam-room | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/Reports/2025/november-december/nov-dec-2025-reports-cover-cropped-645x425px.png" class="pull-right" alt="cover image from July-August 2025 issue of WSMA Reportscover image from July-August 2025 issue of WSMA Reports" /></div>
<h5>Nov. 10, 2025</h5>
<h2>The Intersection of Wall Street and the Exam Room</h2>
<p>
By John Gallagher
</p>
<h5>
<em>Members only; sign-in required.</em>
</h5>
<p>
In an era of increased financial pressures, practices struggle to remain independent. The result has been a huge upswing in consolidation, as some practices conclude that it is no longer feasible to remain a solo operation. "We saw hospitals get into the outpatient space in the 2010s. Then retailers came in, and then insurers," says WSMA CEO Jennifer Hanscom. "Now it's private equity."
</p>
<p>
The growing presence of private equity in medicine has sparked a debate about the corporate practice of medicine, or CPOM for short. CPOM is the legal concept that prohibits corporations, unless they are owned and controlled by physicians, from practicing medicine or dictating what physicians can do. Prompted by publicity about the negative effects of some private equity investments in health care, CPOM has become the focus of interest among legislators and physicians. A bill introduced in the Washington state Legislature last session would have placed stringent restrictions on the structure of corporate investment in practices in some instances. While the bill did not pass, it will be reintroduced in next year's session. (A bill with similar restrictions on CPOM was successfully passed by the Oregon state Legislature this year.)
</p>
<p>
Two resolutions introduced at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the WSMA House of Delegates in September also address the issue. One resolution called for "increased transparency, oversight, and regulatory safeguards for corporate and private equity acquisitions in health care." One of the sponsors of that resolution, Jose Flores-Rodarte, MD, a family physician who works in a federally qualified health center, says that private equity represents a unique threat to health care.
</p>
<p>
"I find it very concerning where Wall Street has reached out to acquire physician practices," says Dr. Flores- Rodarte. "The whole point is to turn the practice over and strip it for profits. If that's effective for a jewelry store, so what? While it's not a great practice, that's the economy we work in. Health care is different. It's a right."
</p>
<p>
At the same time, financial stresses are leaving practices with few options. "Some practices feel private equity investment is important for maintaining the viability of their organizations," says Sean Graham, WSMA's senior director of government affairs and policy. "It's a huge challenge for independent physician groups to maintain their viability in the face of all the pressures we know about."
</p>
<h3>CPOM: the law and the structures</h3>
<p>
As of 2024, 33 states have some form of CPOM law. Washington state's CPOM doctrine is based on case law and not legislation-yet is still generally considered to be one of the nation's strongest legal prohibitions. The fact that legislation was introduced last year to address CPOM indicates that, for some legislators and proponents, moving beyond case law to codifying in legislation is needed to strengthen the law further.
</p>
<p>
"This is a judge-made law," says attorney Luke Campbell, a member of the Health Law Section of the Washington State Bar Association. That said, there have been only a limited number of cases testing it. "It seems only to be infrequently applied right now by private litigants trying to avoid obligations, or by the Department of Health when there are threats to patient care," Campbell says.
</p>
<p>
Even so, says Campbell, the case law imposes limits. "There are only a handful of cases, but the courts have clearly stated that the CPOM doctrine exists and applies in Washington-this isn't some theoretical concept," he says. "What we don't have is published case law in Washington applying it to these modern private equity arrangements."
</p>
<p>
"Under Washington case law, courts look at the substance of the transaction and the reality of the business relationship to see what's really going on," Campbell says. If there is a question that the management company is too closely involved with the entity providing professional services or maintains a beneficial ownership interest in the practice, courts can-and have-intervened. In one example, a dentist and nondentist bought a building together that housed the dental practice. They structured the arrangement as a lease, with the dentist paying the nondentist "rent" equal to 50% of the practice's net profits-an amount that far exceeded the market rate for the building. When the dentist stopped paying, the case ended up in court. The court ruled that the percentage-based rent was really disguised profit sharing that gave the nondentist an illegal ownership interest in the dental practice itself, violating Washington's prohibition on nondentists owning or operating dental practices.
</p>
<p>
The existing case law would also suggest that the courts would closely scrutinize "friendly doctor" structures. Campbell has written that the structures "present material risks in Washington because, as described above, the courts have shown a willingness to look beyond formalities and into the essential nature of the relationship. For example, if the payments from the practice to the management company do not reflect fair market value for services but instead appear to reflect a return on an ownership interest, a Washington court may find that the relationship violates the CPOM doctrine."
</p>
<p>
The structures in place for CPOM are supposed to address the issues raised by the law.
</p>
<p>
The most common structure used by private equity investors gives physicians practice ownership while effectively transferring some functions and control of the practice to the management company through contractual relationships. Under this arrangement, the professional practice remains solely owned by licensed health care professionals, while the management company-which may include unlicensed investors-takes over some business operations. The practice transfers tangible assets and contracts to the management company, including real estate and equipment leases, while the management company provides administrative services such as billing, contracting, and strategic planning.
</p>
<h3>When private equity investment works</h3>
<p>
That common structure of private equity investment in a practice can be attractive in a market where there are limited financial options available. Moreover, practices sometimes feel the other available option is worse.
</p>
<p>
"When I have talked to physician practices, they went to private equity because they didn't want to sell to the local hospital system," says Hanscom. "A lot of times, the only option to stay independent is private equity. If you want a competitive marketplace and can't afford to make a go of it on your own, you need a funder."
</p>
<p>
The right partnership can work well, supporters of private equity investment say. Jarrod Durkee, MD, is medical director at RAYUS Radiology in Washington state, a subspecialty provider for advanced diagnostic and interventional radiology services with locations in more than 15 states. A separate entity, CDI Management Corp., is responsible for the nonclinical side of RAYUS.
</p>
<p>
The arrangement has been in place for almost 20 years. "They never tell us what to do clinically," says Dr. Durkee. "We make those decisions, we make those protocols. They never say to us, you need to see more patients, you need to perform more imaging. There's none of that going on."
</p>
<p>
What the management company does is handle the business side of the practice, including regulatory changes, infrastructure upgrades, and contracts. "I'm trained as a physician," says Dr. Durkee. "I'm not trained in building patient portals to see images and reports online. I don't know how to make those things happen. The same with talking to payers. That is their expertise." Because of the combined influence of RAYUS, Dr. Durkee says that his practice is able to get better deals than would otherwise have been the case.
</p>
<p>
Those savings can help patients. "As an independent physician group, we are at a minimum 30% to 40% less in what it costs patients than if they were to go to a hospital or closed system," says Dr. Durkee. "If you take away independent practices, patient access is going to be way more expensive."
</p>
<h3>The devil in the details</h3>
<p>
As in the RAYUS example, these structures have been in place in Washington state for years, typically involving individual arrangements between parties. But private equity is raising a whole new set of issues as its presence in health care increases rapidly, and, as investment in medical practices grows, private equity systematizes these arrangements and implements them broadly across multiple practices. An analysis earlier this year by the American Medical Association found that 6.5% of physicians said that their practice was private equity-owned, a jump from 4.5% since 2022. While the overall number is small, some specialties, such as orthopedics and ophthalmology, have seen substantial growth in private- equity investment over the past several years. By contrast, more than a third of physicians report working in hospital- owned practices.
</p>
<p>
For many observers, the devil can lie in the details of the management agreement. In some arrangements, particularly those using a "friendly doctor" structure, the management company gains substantial control through stock transfer restriction agreements or succession agreements. These provisions can restrict the physician from taking certain actions without the management company's consent, including hiring and firing employees-or even selling their ownership interest. In some cases, the agreements allow the management company to effectively remove and replace the physician owner if they don't comply with business directives. (This structure would have been barred under the proposed Washington state legislation.) Not all arrangements go this far. Some relationships maintain clearer boundaries between clinical autonomy and business management. The result is a sliding scale of control, with some physicians retaining meaningful independence while others may find themselves with ownership in name only.
</p>
<p>
While the law in Washington may be strong on its face, it is largely untested. For one thing, cases so far have largely involved disputes between two parties in an agreement. The potential pressure from a management company on a practice presents a more complicated scenario. "The reality is that the DOH [Department of Health] only responds to claims and is most concerned about harm to patients," says Campbell. "Unless it receives a complaint involving actual or potential patient harm, it doesn't seem that the DOH is interested in investigating these management company relationships."
</p>
<p>
Private equity has attracted a lot of attention primarily since much of the industry is so focused on profits. Some private equity investments in health care, particularly in hospitals, have resulted in widespread negative media coverage chronicling staffing shortages and bankruptcies at facilities that were bought out. Moreover, a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2023 found that adverse events, including surgical infections, central line infections, and bed sores, skyrocketed among Medicare patients in the three years after a private equity fund bought a hospital. Another study showed significant price increases in 8 out of 10 practices acquired by private equity.
</p>
<p>
Such stories prompt worries among some physicians that CPOM has gotten out of control. Kim Ha Wadsworth, DO, a family physician who has a direct family care practice in Olympia, introduced a resolution at the September WSMA House of Delegates calling on the WSMA to support policy and legislation to strengthen CPOM restrictions in the state.
</p>
<p>
"Do we want lay people to have majority ownership of medical clinics?" she says. "If you have majority ownership, you make the decisions. That's really the crux of this policy question."
</p>
<p>
Dr. Wadsworth consciously chose a direct practice model so that she could focus on patients. "I want more of my colleagues to be able to enjoy medicine as it was meant to be before CPOM," she says. "We talk about the physician- patient relationship. When you are able to restore that connection, it brings back the joy of medicine. I'm looking at my colleagues who are suffering, and I know that there is a better way. We've done CPOM for 30 or 40 years, and how is that working for us? Physicians are burning out and talking about moral injury."
</p>
<p>
Dr. Flores-Rodarte echoes that sentiment that patients are suffering as a result. "These are questions about the quality of care that are at odds with what we do, which is our relationship with our patients," he says. "We're trying to do things in the best interest of the patient, when we're also trying to maximize profits for a private company. We've all had a favorite brand taken over by new owners, they extract the profit from it, and they destroy it. I don't want that to happen to our health care system."
</p>
<h3>Navigating the changing landscape</h3>
<p>
Dr. Durkee is sympathetic to physicians worried about corporate influence. "I understand and I agree that we don't want corporations telling us what to do as physicians, because that's not their area," he says. At the same time, he worries that too broad a crackdown on private equity will harm practices that actually do benefit from it.
</p>
<p>
"Are there bad actors out there? I'm sure there are. But don't throw everything out because they're under a certain label. That would cause more damage. Don't bring a shotgun when you need a surgical scalpel."
</p>
<p>
In point of fact, says Campbell, CPOM is now so embedded in the business of medicine that rolling back by the regulators may be impossible. "That ship seems to have sailed," he says. "Is the DOH going to suddenly take an aggressive enforcement position against these management-type service agreements? It seems unlikely that DOH will be the party to draw a line in the sand."
</p>
<p>
The main issue is how to maintain physician control over clinical decisions as the business of medicine continues to transform. "We all want clinical autonomy, first and foremost," says Hanscom. "But we also want to protect the workforce we have so that patients have access to the care they need. There's a lot of corporatization of health care. We need a comprehensive approach to it, something nuanced to the practice environment now, so as not aggravate problems and cause practice closures."
</p>
<p>
The likelihood of another CPOM bill being introduced in the Legislature next year will keep the issue front and center. "It's a new and complex issue," says Graham. "In my experience, what WSMA members are thinking about is that physicians should be in control of delivering care to patients."
</p>
<p>
The question is whether legislation can address physician concerns without creating new problems. "We don't want to make it more difficult for people to make the business decisions they want to make," says Hanscom. "We don't want to create a problem for physician owners who are already in relationships with private equity that they like."
</p>
<p>
No matter what happens in the next legislative session, the debate is unlikely to end. "We're all trying to struggle with how do we approach this," says Dr. Flores-Rodarte. "I don't think we have the answer, but we should be thinking about it."
</p>
<p>
<em>John Gallagher is a freelancer specializing in health care.</em>
</p>
<p>
<em>This article was featured in the November/December 2025 issue of WSMA Reports, WSMA's print magazine.</em>
</p>
</div> | 11/10/2025 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| everything-you-need-to-know-about-this-weeks-elections | Everything You Need to Know About This Week's Elections | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/advocacy-report/2025/november-7/everything-you-need-to-know-about-this-weeks-elections | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/advocacy-report/2025/november/istock-1259154099-stethoscope-ballotbox-blue-background-645x425px.png" class="pull-right" alt="Ballot being placed in a ballot box emblazoned with a stethoscope" /></div>
<h5>Nov. 7, 2025 </h5>
<h2>Everything You Need to Know About This Week's Elections </h2>
<p>Thank you for your continued support of WAMPAC, the WSMA's campaign arm! </p>
<p>Please find an update on the preliminary 2025 general election results for state legislative races below. As a reminder, our state utilizes a mail-in voting system, and many ballots have not yet been tabulated (or in some cases received), so races can shift substantially in the coming days. We'll provide another update when results solidify and in the meantime you can stay up to date on the most recent ballot returns on the secretary of state's elections <a href="https://results.vote.wa.gov/results/20251104/">results webpage</a>.</p>
<h3>Early returns find Democrats sweeping special election races - general election results so far</h3>
<p>Off-election years often see fewer races of statewide consequence and lower voter turnout, however, this year there were nine special elections for state legislative seats on the ballot across six legislative districts. Going into this campaign season, Democrats held all nine seats up for grabs, but Republicans hoped to flip seats in several competitive districts by capitalizing on the tax-heavy session led by legislative democrats. Meanwhile, Democrats focused their efforts on the state-level impacts created by the passage of H.R. 1 and the challenging national climate led by President Donald Trump.</p>
<p>Against the backdrop of a federal government shutdown, ballots hit mailboxes. Based on early ballot returns, Democrats appear poised to retain all seats up for election, including those in districts considered reliably blue and competitive. At the time of this writing, there are still a significant number of ballots yet to be counted so it is possible, and in some cases likely, for gaps between candidates to narrow and races to shift substantially.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, Democrats will continue to hold strong majorities in both the House and Senate and if these results hold, we expect Democrats to cite this outcome as voter approval of recent policy decisions and therefore a mandate to continue carrying out their progressive agenda.</p>
<h3>5th Legislative District </h3>
<p>State Sen. Bill Ramos died unexpectedly on April 19, and Rep. Victoria Hunt was appointed to the Senate. Sen. Hunt is running to retain the seat, facing Republican candidate Chad Magendanz, a former state legislator. Despite the district being reliably Democratic in recent years, it has a history of divided representation and is considered potentially competitive. The 5th District includes Issaquah, Renton, and Snoqualmie, among other areas.</p>
<ul>
<li>Sen. Victoria Hunt (D): 55.58% </li>
<li>Chad Magendaz (R): 44.33% </li>
</ul>
<h3>26th Legislative District </h3>
<p>Former state Sen. Emily Randall was elected to Congress during the 2024 elections, creating an open Senate seat in the 26th District. Deb Krishnadasan was appointed to fill the vacancy, serving as the district's state senator during the 2025 legislative session. Rep. Michelle Caldier, the longstanding Republican representative in this district, is also running for the Senate seat. There are significant health policy implications in this race as Sen. Krishnadasan's spouse is a physician and Rep. Caldier is the assistant ranking minority member of the House Health Care Committee. The 26th District includes parts of Kitsap and Pierce counties and is one of the few remaining swing districts in the state, with voters sending Democrats and Republicans to Olympia every election.</p>
<ul>
<li>Sen. Deb Krishnadasan (D): 52.52% </li>
<li>Rep. Michelle Caldier (R): 47.39% </li>
</ul>
<h3>33rd Legislative District </h3>
<p>The most tenured member of the state Senate, Sen. Karen Keiser, announced her retirement last year after serving the 33rd Legislative District for 29 years. Her retirement came mid-term and Rep. Tina Orwall, a longtime member of the House representing the same district, was appointed to fill the Senate seat. Sen. Orwall is running to retain the Senate seat to finish out the legislative term and is unopposed.</p>
<p>This domino effect created an open House seat in the 33rd District and Rep. Edwin Obras, whose background is in human services, was appointed and is running to retain his seat. Fellow Democrat and Burien Mayor Kevin Schilling is also running for the House position, positioning himself as the more moderate of the two candidates. Both Sen. Orwall and Rep. Obras sit on their chamber's respective health care committees. The 33rdDistrict includes SeaTac, Normandy Park, and Des Moines and is overwhelmingly Democratic.</p>
<ul>
<li>Senate race
<ul>
<li>Sen. Tina Orwall (D): 96.62.96% </li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>House race
<ul>
<li>Rep. Edwin Obras (D): 48.45% </li>
<li>Kevin Schilling (D): 49.78% </li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>34th Legislative District </h3>
<p>Following Gov. Bob Ferguson's election, he selected then-state Sen. Joe Nguyen of the 34th Legislative District to serve as the director of the Washington State Department of Commerce. Then-Rep. Emily Alvarado was selected to the Senate seat and Brianna Thomas was appointed to the resulting vacated House seat. Both Sen. Alvarado and Rep. Thomas are running to retain their positions and are unopposed. The 34th District encompasses West Seattle, Vashon Island, and parts of Burien and White Center.</p>
<ul>
<li>Senate race
<ul>
<li>Sen. Emily Alvarado (D): 97.06% </li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>House race
<ul>
<li>Rep. Brianna Thomas (D): 97.14% </li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>41st Legislative District </h3>
<p>In another open seat created due to Gov. Ferguson's appointments, then-Rep. Tana Senn was selected to lead the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families. The King County Council appointed Bellevue City Councilmember Janice Zahn, who is running to retain the seat. The 41st District includes Mercer Island and the surrounding cities and is reliably Democratic.</p>
<ul>
<li>Rep. Janice Zahn (D): 69.54% </li>
<li>John Whitney (R): 30.35% </li>
</ul>
<h3>48th Legislative District </h3>
<p>Patty Kuderer was elected to statewide office in 2024, becoming the state's insurance commissioner and leaving an open Senate seat. Then-Rep. Vandana Slatter was selected to fill the Senate position and Osman Salahuddin was appointed to the House seat. Sen. Slatter sits on the Senate Health and Long Term Care Committee and Rep. Salahuddin worked as a researcher at Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center and UW Medicine. Both legislators are running to retain their respective seats. Additionally, 48th District Rep. Amy Walen, who chairs the Consumer Protection &amp; Business Committee and is considered a moderate Democrat, is running for the Senate seat against her former seatmate.</p>
<ul>
<li>Senate race
<ul>
<li>Sen. Vandana Slatter (D): 56.34% </li>
<li>Rep. Amy Walen (D): 42.37% </li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>House race
<ul>
<li>Rep. Osman Salahuddin (D): 68.38% </li>
<li>Dennis Ellis (R): 31.5% </li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>WAMPAC worked on multiple fronts to ensure we were well-positioned to be effective and influential in the 2025 campaign cycle. The relationships we build on the campaign trail help translate to the kind of policy victories that make a difference for physicians and patients. With the 2026 legislative session on the horizon, WSMA's budget and policy priorities will include addressing impacts from H.R. 1, increasing Medicaid reimbursement and access to care, seeking opportunities for business and occupation tax mitigation, defeating inappropriate scope of practice proposals, and reforming the prior authorization process.</p>
<p>If you have any questions about WAMPAC's engagement on campaigns, please reach out anytime.</p>
</div> | 11/7/2025 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| seeking-physicians-or-physician-assistants-to-speak-with-media-about-multiplan-lawsuit | Seeking Physicians or Physician Assistants to Speak with Media About MultiPlan Lawsuit | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/advocacy-report/2025/november-7/seeking-physicians-or-physician-assistants-to-speak-with-media-about-multiplan-lawsuit | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/advocacy-report/2025/november/steth-gavel-istock-1021545242-645x425px.jpg" class="pull-right" alt="gavel and stethoscope" /></div>
<h5>Nov. 7, 2025 </h5>
<h2>Seeking Physicians or Physician Assistants to Speak with Media About MultiPlan Lawsuit </h2>
<p>As reported previously, the WSMA has joined an antitrust lawsuit against MultiPlan and major health insurers such as UnitedHealth, which seeks to end alleged coordinated price-fixing and recoup financial damages for physician practices and others harmed by this conduct. For background on the legal action, see our update in the <a href="[@]Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2025/september-12/wsma-joins-multiplan-antitrust-litigation">Sept. 13 Membership Memo</a>. The WSMA and the communications strategists with the legal team are looking for physicians and physician assistants who may be interested in speaking with media about their experiences with MultiPlan, particularly those who suspect they've been impacted by the scheme.</p>
<p>As detailed in our <a href="[@]Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2025/september-12/wsma-joins-multiplan-antitrust-litigation">Sept. 13 update</a>, your practice may be entitled to significant financial damages against MultiPlan and other insurance companies. Claims against MultiPlan over out-of-network reimbursements may go back as far as 10 years. Many practices that have been out-of-network with one major insurer during the relevant time period will have compensable claims and may join the lawsuit as an individual plaintiff. If you are interested in learning more, you can <a href="https://www.napolilaw.com/en/%20multiplan/">contact one of the lawyers</a> appointed by the court to lead non-class claims or access resources, including a <a href="https://www.napolilaw.com/en/%20multiplan/">free case evaluation</a>.</p>
<p>If you believe you've been impacted by the issues at the heart of this lawsuit and would be interested in speaking with the media about your experiences with MultiPlan, email WSMA Director of Communications <a href="mailto:gfs@wsma.org">Graham Short</a>.</p>
</div> | 11/7/2025 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| state-submits-rural-health-transformation-application-with-wsma-engagement-support | State Submits Rural Health Transformation Application with WSMA Engagement, Support | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/advocacy-report/2025/november-7/state-submits-rural-health-transformation-application-with-wsma-engagement-support | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/advocacy-report/2025/november/female-doc-folded-arms-645x425px.jpg" class="pull-right" alt="female doctor with arms folded" /></div>
<h5>Nov. 7, 2025 </h5>
<h2>State Submits Rural Health Transformation Application with WSMA Engagement, Support </h2>
<p>H.R. 1 established a Rural Health Transformation Program intended to support patient access to care and rural health care systems across the country. Earlier this week, Washington state <a href="https://www.hca.wa.gov/assets/program/rhtp-project-narrative.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">submitted its application for the fund</a>, requesting the maximum state allotment of $200 million per year to support investments across the rural health care continuum. The Rural Health Transformation Program is administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which will review and take action on state applications by Dec. 31.</p>
<p>The WSMA engaged extensively in the development of the application, meeting with state policymakers, submitting feedback on where funding should be directed, and lending formal support to the state's application. We're grateful to see relevant investments proposed in the application and that the WSMA will have representation on the advisory committee that will help implement the program. Notable proposed programinvestments include: </p>
<ul>
<li>Workforce
<ul>
<li>Family medicine residencies </li>
<li>Apprenticeships and on-the-job training </li>
<li>Rural nurse education </li>
<li>Rural health worker recruitment and retention </li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Technology
<ul>
<li>Telehealth technology </li>
<li>Project ECHO </li>
<li>Rural practice technology support </li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>System capacity
<ul>
<li>Maternity, emergency care access </li>
<li>Value-based purchasing </li>
<li>Interfacility EMS tracking and coordination </li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Full details about the state's application and the Rural Health Transformation Program process are available on the <a href="https://www.hca.wa.gov/about-hca/programs-and-initiatives/value-based-purchasing/rural-health-transformation-program?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery#application">Health Care Authority's website</a>. The WSMA will continue to engage on this work in the coming months and will keep you apprised of any relevant developments.</p>
</div> | 11/7/2025 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| member-spotlight-lucinda-grande-md | Member Spotlight: Lucinda Grande, MD | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Latest_News/2025/member-spotlight-lucinda-grande-md | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/Reports/2025/november-december/Member-Spotlight-Website-Image-Grande-645x425px.png" class="pull-right" alt="Member Spotlight: Lucinda Grande, MD" /></div>
<h5>November 6, 2025</h5>
<h2> Member Spotlight: Lucinda (Cindy) Grande, MD, FASAM</h2>
<p><strong>Works at:</strong> Pioneer Family Practice in Lacey.</p>
<p><strong>How long in practice:</strong> 14 years.</p>
<p><strong>Specialties:</strong> Family medicine and addiction medicine.</p>
<p><strong>Additional roles:</strong> Clinical associate professor in the department of family medicine, UW School of Medicine; current president of the Washington Society of Addiction Medicine.</p>
<p><strong>Why WSMA:</strong> The WSMA is a powerful voice for physicians in our state. I learned how influential it could be in 2017 after I presented my first resolution to the House of Delegates. I had hoped to draw attention to an injustice with societal implications, one that had been experienced by my own patients. Denial of life-saving medications to treat opioid use disorder in jails and prisons creates an extremely high risk of overdose death after release. With help from veteran resolution writers at my county medical society, I crafted a proposal to advocate for legislation, standards, policies, and funding to make buprenorphine and methadone available to inmates. The resolution was adopted as a new policy by the WSMA and ultimately by the American Medical Association. WSMA and AMA advocacy helped to catalyze a growing awareness of the problem and led to real changes statewide and nationally.</p>
<p>I have since shepherded about a dozen resolutions through the process, often in collaboration with WSMA staff, family physicians, addiction specialists, and public health groups. Through my participation in the WSMA, I have learned that teamwork is essential to the power of organized medicine. Teamwork requires persistence and compromise, but results in much more attention from policymakers than any of us could hope for alone.</p>
<p><strong>What inspires me about medicine:</strong> I love to find solutions for whatever health problems patients bring to me. Often, I can use widely available treatments to address common problems. For example, for the petite white-haired lady who brought in a chart showing wild swings in blood pressure, I tinkered with the doses and timing of losartan and amlodipine. She returned at the next visit with a bright smile because her numbers were now perfectly steady.</p>
<div class="col-md-4 col-xs-12 pull-left">
<p><img alt="Dr. Grande at home" src="/images/Newsletters/Reports/2025/november-december/Grande_profile_secondary.jpg
" class="pull-left" /></p>
</div>
<p>But sometimes unconventional solutions are needed. A 38-year-old man, struggling to drop some of his 400-pound heft, yearned to try a GLP-1 agonist. Unfortunately, his insurance wouldn’t pay for it because he didn’t have diabetes. Compounding pharmacies are avoided by many physicians, but I was happy to use one to obtain generic semaglutide for him—enriched with Vitamin B12 for the inevitable fatigue of the overweight—for $200 per month. That man lost 15 pounds in the first 6 weeks. You bet he had a bright smile at the next visit.</p>
<p>A more adventurous area of my work is with patients who—like many millions of Americans—suffer from both chronic pain and psychiatric disorders. A favorite opportunity is to take a depressed and irritable middle-aged man with arthritis who has limped along for years on oxycodone, and initiate buprenorphine for his pain. There is art in luring that man into making the change, and in selecting a suitable starting dose and titration plan. But how thrilling to see the clouds lift and a new brightness in his step!</p>
<blockquote class="Quote">
<p>
Through my participation in the WSMA, I have learned that teamwork is essential to the power of organized medicine."
</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>What people may not know about me:</strong> My true passion is unlocking the secrets of daily sub-dissociative dose (or “microdoseâ€) ketamine. I have delighted in the frequently favorable and sometimes breathtaking outcomes among 600+ patients with common debilitating conditions from chronic pain, depression, and suicidal ideation to addiction, dementia, and existential distress at end of life. I have several research projects underway with the goal of bringing the rich potential of this treatment strategy into mainstream clinical practice.</p>
<p><strong>Recommended reading:</strong> I am immersing myself in the many wonderful books by the cognitive psychologist and psycholinguist Steven Pinker. My favorite is “The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century.†Next on my list is “The Better Angels of Our Nature,†based on the surprising premise that violence has declined over the course of human history. I am hoping for a refreshing break from the gloom and barbarism of today’s news.</p>
<p>
<em>This article was featured in the November/December 2025 issue of WSMA Reports, WSMA's print magazine.</em>
</p>
</div> | 11/6/2025 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| federal-government-shutdown-continues | Federal Government Shutdown Continues | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/advocacy-report/2025/october-24/federal-government-shutdown-continues | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/advocacy-report/2025/october/US-Capitol-Building-645x425px.jpg" class="pull-right" alt="US Capitol building" /></div>
<h5>Oct. 24, 2025 </h5>
<h2>Federal Government Shutdown Continues </h2>
<p>
The shutdown of the U.S. government continues with little sign of resolution. The impasse rests in part on the Affordable Care Act's enhanced premium tax credits which are set to expire at the end of the year, with Democrats refusing to support a funding bill until Republicans agree to extend insurance subsidies.
</p>
<p>
While many functions of the federal government have ceased operations until Congress is able to pass legislation to fund the government, work that is deemed "essential," like Medicare and Medicaid, will continue to operate with some caveats.
</p>
<p>
According to a <a href="https://www.cms.gov/medicare/payment/fee-for-service-providers">communication</a> from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and confirmed by Noridian Healthcare Solutions (Washington's Medicare Administrative Contractor):
</p>
<p>
"Effective October 1, 2025, CMS instructed all Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) to hold claims with dates of service of October 1, 2025, and later for services impacted by the expired Medicare legislative payment provisions passed under the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025. In light of the continuing government shutdown, CMS will continue to process and pay held claims in a timely manner with the exception of select claims for services impacted by the expired provisions. To date, no payments have been delayed as statute already requires all claims to be held for a minimum of fourteen days, and this recent hold is consistent with that statutory requirement. Providers may continue to submit claims accordingly."
</p>
<p>
Visit WSMA's <a href="[@]Shared_Content/News/advocacy-report/2025/october-3/what-the-government-shutdown-means-for-health-care.aspx?_zs=Pimae1&amp;_zl=gejPA">website</a> to review additional details of the shutdown's impact on your practice, which includes detailed contingency plans from CMS and the Department of Health and Human Services and what physicians should consider. Regarding the expiration of the Medicare telehealth waivers and questions regarding in-person visit requirements, billing procedures, etc., the Center for Connected Health Policy has released <a href="https://wsma.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xMjEzMTgwMCZwPTEmdT0xMDkzMTc0NjI5JmxpPTExODE4OTY1Nw/index.html">guidance</a> that addresses common questions and highlights where CMS has offered clear direction and where gaps remain.
</p>
</div> | 10/24/2025 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| healthy-food-resources-better-health | Healthy Food Resources, Better Health | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Latest_News/2025/healthy-food-resources-better-health | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/Reports/2025/november-december/nov-dec-2025-reports-cover-cropped-645x425px.png" class="pull-right" alt="cover image from November-December 2025 issue of WSMA Reports" /></div>
<h5>
October 21, 2025
</h5>
<h2>Healthy Food Resources, Better Health </h2>
<p>
By Rita Colorito
</p>
<h5>
<em>Members only; sign-in required.</em>
</h5>
<p>
Jennifer Maxwell, MD, a family medicine doctor at Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic, often sees patients struggling with both food insecurity and making dietary changes to manage their diabetes. To address both, Dr. Maxwell doesn't just prescribe medication and tell them to "eat better." She provides these patients the means to do so through the clinic's partnership with the Washington State Department of Health's Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program, or FVRx. It's one of 24 such health care partners participating statewide since the program started in 2016. FVRx serves people who have or are at risk for a diet-related illness and have food insecurity.
</p>
<p>
Produce prescription programs like FVRx fall under "food is medicine," a growing movement of science- and evidence-based initiatives that recognize the critical role of nutrition in preventing, managing, and even treating chronic disease. The Food Is Medicine Institute at Tufts University defines the movement as interventions that "reflect the critical link between nutrition and health, integrated into health care delivery."
</p>
<p>
Medically tailored meals and medically tailored groceries are the other disease treatment and management interventions. Prevention interventions include population-level health food policies and programs and nutrition security programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition Program; and school meals.
</p>
<h3>Washington's FVRx program</h3>
<p>
In Washington state, depending on partner parameters, patients can receive between $250 to $500 in FVRx vouchers (and soon prefunded ecards) over six months. They are redeemable at certain grocers, food cooperatives, and farmer's markets statewide for fresh, frozen, or canned produce without added salt, sugar, or fat. At Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic, food insecure patients with an A1C blood test of 8% or higher receive $40-$80 in monthly vouchers for six months. The program is so popular, there's a waiting list.
</p>
<p>
"In this last cohort, patients on average had a decrease of a half of a percentage point for their A1C. Some patients had as significant a decrease of 8.3 percentage points, which is huge in terms of health improvement," says Gabrielle Frank, RDN, primary care nutrition services manager at Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic.
</p>
<p>
While robust research is scarce, <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.122.009520">one study</a> published in the August 2023 Journal of the American Heart found produce prescription programs associated with significant improvements in fruit and vegetable intake, food security, and health status for adults and children. Adults with poor cardiometabolic health also had clinically relevant improvements in A1C, blood pressure, and body mass index.
</p>
<p>
Many of Dr. Maxwell's patients work long hours, without paid time off, making it hard to convince them to schedule medical visits when they don't see immediate benefits. The FVRx program has incentivized patients to make and keep follow-up appointments, says Dr. Maxwell. "With this program, they see a direct benefit today, and then it translates into long-term benefits."
</p>
<h3>Medically tailored meals and groceries</h3>
<p>
Medically tailored meals, or MTMs, began in the 1980s in response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. MTMs and medically tailored groceries support patients with severe, complex, or chronic conditions. They are typically provided by nonprofits and other community organizations and delivered to patients' homes. Upon referral from a physician or practitioner, registered dietitians assess each patient to develop meals and groceries tailored to their nutritional needs and condition.
</p>
<p>
Not all MTM programs are created equal. As food is medicine has gained traction, some traditional food and meal delivery companies have tried to rebrand themselves. "Most don't appear to meet voluntary accreditation standards crafted by medically tailored meal providers," found a STAT News investigation: Some provided patients with fried food or meals that were high in fat or sodium.
</p>
<p>
To develop quality standards, in 2023, the Food is Medicine Coalition, a leading national coalition of nonprofit organizations that provide medically tailored meals, created an accreditation program for medically tailored meal providers. Lifelong, a Seattle-based nonprofit, is the first in Washington state to receive FIMC accreditation. (FISH Community Food Bank in Ellensburg is a FIMC member, a precursor to accreditation, providing MTMs to clients in Kittitas County.)
</p>
<p>
Each year, Lifelong provides MTMs and MTGs to some 2,000 low-income clients in King, Island, and Snohomish counties. A significant portion are homebound and have challenges either accessing food or preparing their own food. "One of the things medically tailored meals, or even groceries, can do is reduce the stress around food access," says Emily Hanning, Lifelong's vice president of food and nutrition. The home delivery model can even help address the loneliness epidemic, she says.
</p>
<p>
"Bringing meals to clients fosters a sense of connection and community. Oftentimes we're one of the only people interacting with a client that week," says Hanning. "We're also able to do an informal mini wellness check. Then if there's any follow up needed, we'll reach out and make sure that we're getting clients the other support they need."
</p>
<p>
Along with providing condition-specific nutrition, MTMs also address dental or swallowing issues, barriers for many patients, says Hanning. "We're able to mechanically soften food to provide adequate nutrition."
</p>
<p>
Poor diets not only impact a patient's health, they also impact their wallet: 85% of all health care spending is related to the management of diet-related chronic diseases, according to Tufts' Food Is Medicine Institute.
</p>
<p>
In Lifelong's annual survey, 88% of responding clients reported improvements in their health. A <a href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.2024.01307">recent Health Affairs analysis</a> estimated the one-year impact of MTMs (based on 10 weekly meals for eight months) would result in more than $3,000 net annual cost savings per person in Washington state and nationally $23.7 billion overall, after accounting for intervention costs. Nationally, this level would also avert over 2.6 million hospitalizations.
</p>
<p>
In recent years, the need has increased so much that Lifelong now has a waitlist. Hanning is hopeful that Apple Health will soon cover MTMs via Washington's Section 1115 Medicaid waiver, the federal mechanism that provides flexibilities for states to try new approaches with their Medicaid programs.
</p>
<p>
In February, the state Health Care Authority submitted a rate methodology under its Medicaid Transformation Project (its name for the Medicaid waiver) for reimbursable nutrition support services aimed at removing barriers to healthy nutrition. They include nutrition counseling and education, MTMs, meals or pantry stocking, fruit and vegetable prescriptions, and short-term grocery provisions. These <a href="https:/www.hca.wa.gov/assets/program/mtp-nutrition-supports-fee-schedule.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">nutrition support services</a> are expected to increase the annual aggregate expenditures for nutrition service providers by approximately $50 million.
</p>
<p>
"We know that there are going to be reductions to food assistance and SNAP that people depend on coming up. So, the waiver, we hope, will provide an opportunity to help support our community members with healthy food," says Hanning.
</p>
<p>
In 2023, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid approved an additional five years of payment for health-related social needs services under Washington state's Medicaid Transformation Project. The Trump administration has since rescinded CMS guidance that promoted these Section 1115 waivers for health-related social needs services addressing social determinants of health. While the new policy does not nullify existing approvals granted under the Biden administration, new requests will now be considered on a case-by-case basis.
</p>
<h3>Food insecurity and social determinants of health</h3>
<p>
Many food is medicine interventions are tied to food insecurity, a social determinant of health; not surprising, as poor diets and food insecurity are strongly linked, with both increasing the risk of early death, disability, and poor health. The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as "a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food." The USDA's 2023 Household Food Report found 9.5% of Washingtonians are food insecure.
</p>
<p>
"We can't discuss food as medicine without addressing food insecurity. If people don't have reliable access to nutritious food, the idea of using food to prevent or manage disease isn't realistic. Things like affordability, transportation, food deserts, and lack of nutrition education all play a role in whether someone can consistently access healthy, culturally appropriate meals," says Chelsey Lindahl, RDN, CD, manager for health promotion and wellness at MultiCare Center for Health Equity and Wellness in Tacoma. The center and MultiCare Yakima Memorial Hospital are also FVRx health partners.
</p>
<p>
In recent months, patients have also told Dr. Maxwell they don't want to go out as frequently into the community out of fear. "Less frequent shopping trips means you can't buy as many fresh fruits and vegetables because they will expire," she says.
</p>
<p>
Food insecurity is often hidden in plain sight. Screening for insecurity is often something many physicians miss, says Dr. Maxwell. Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic uses the Hunger Vital Signs screening tool for all patients at intake and once yearly. Food cost is a big reason most don't eat healthier.
</p>
<p>
"Our patients are living in the margins, and sometimes food is not the most high priority for them in terms of what their needs are, or what they see as the vehicle to support health improvement three or six months from now," says Frank.
</p>
<p>
Over 22% of Yakima households receive benefits through SNAP, double the state average. Nearly 1 million Washingtonians use SNAP benefits each month. Statewide, nearly half of all babies, one third of pregnant women, and one quarter of children under age 5 rely on the WIC Program.
</p>
<p>
The Trump administration's budget bill cut SNAP by $186 billion over the next decade. In Washington state, the average household under the Thrifty Food Plan is expected to receive $56 less per month. The maximum allotment for a family of four would drop from $975 to $848. The cuts come at a time when food costs continue to outpace wage growth for many Americans.
</p>
<p>
Community health workers at Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinics also help connect patients to local food banks and apply for SNAP benefits. The majority of their clinic locations in Washington and Oregon also contain embedded offices for WIC, the federal Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.
</p>
<p>
"As health care providers we really need to reserve judgment about eating choices, or what is behind why families feed their kids the way they do," says Frank. She recommends "How the Other Half Eats," by Priya Fielding-Singh, PhD, to better understand food insecurity and what informs food choices. "Most people do want to feel healthy and know when foods are healthy, but there are just so many complex barriers that get in the way of that being their day-to-day reality," she says.
</p>
<h3>Culinary medicine and whole-person care</h3>
<p>
Food is medicine interventions often include nutritional counseling, the educational, and sometimes emotional, support patients need to make lasting dietary changes. "Registered dietitians are trained in motivational interviewing and are able to take a broad concept like 'eat more vegetables,' and make it applicable to the context of their life," says Frank.
</p>
<p>
One FVRx client recently shared that after six months, she has regular meal patterns, stopped drinking soda, and takes her medication as prescribed. Her A1C dropped from 13.7 to 6.3. "She was struggling with depression and her dietitian connected her with a mental health counselor. The dietitian she worked with provided this older adult with whole-person care," says Frank.
</p>
<p>
Patients often share that changing their diet feels daunting and confusing, says Emma Dotson, DNP, ARNP, who specializes in cognitive neurology at the Swedish Center for Healthy Aging in Seattle. That's where culinary medicine comes in: a growing evidence-based field that blends the art of food and cooking with the science of medicine. The center includes culinary medicine in its shared medical appointments, an innovative program where a patient cohort meets for eight months to learn lifestyle interventions for disease prevention and management.
</p>
<p>
Once a month on Zoom, Dina Piatt, RDN, provides a virtual cooking demonstration of brain-healthy recipes and education around nutrition. "A lot of patients don't know the effect food has particularly on brain health," says Piatt. The center's plant-based recipes, such as blender banana bread, are intentionally simple and affordable, with easy prep and cleanup, so patients are more likely to make them.
</p>
<p>
In the past, generous funding allowed the center to deliver the ingredients to patients so they could follow along. Patients report feeling better and having lower A1C and blood pressure, from changing their diet, says Dotson. "Even those with early stages of dementia can participate with their care partner." The feeling of self-efficacy, she says, creates a domino effect to keep up with other needed lifestyle changes.
</p>
<p>
Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic's Toppenish Medical-Dental Clinic also offers all patients both in-person and virtual cooking classes around specific topics, such as heart health, diabetes management, and pediatric nutrition.
</p>
<p>
While the federal government's nascent Make America Healthy Again movement focuses on ultra-processed foods, Dr. Maxwell says cooking meals from scratch isn't an issue for her patients. "Most of my patients actually prepare their own food. It's the cost-and taking a risk in buying something that they don't know whether their family will actually eat it when they have a limited budget," she says.
</p>
<p>
"It's really not controversial that good nutrition is important. But how to actually make that work for our patients is key. And a lot of it is the health equity perspective," says Dr. Maxwell. "It's a reasonable question when patients are not eating fruits and vegetables to ask if they are afraid that they will run out of food before they have money to buy more. These are good questions before we continue to write more prescriptions and think that the patients just can't or won't."
</p>
<p>
<em>Rita Colorito is a freelance writer specializing in health care.</em>
</p>
<p>
<em>This article was featured in the November/December 2025 issue of WSMA Reports, WSMA's print magazine.</em>
</p>
</div> | 10/21/2025 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| ceo-rounds-october-16-2025-welcoming-a-new-ceo-and-president-at-physicians-insurance | CEO Rounds: Oct. 16, 2025 - Welcoming a New CEO and President at Physicians Insurance | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/ceo-rounds/2025/ceo-rounds-october-16-2025-welcoming-a-new-ceo-and-president-at-physicians-insurance | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/ceo-rounds/ceo-rounds-article-graphic-2025-1290x850px.png" class="pull-right" alt="CEO Rounds with Jennifer Hanscom graphic" /></div>
<h5>Oct. 16, 2025</h5>
<h2>Welcoming a New CEO and President at Physicians Insurance</h2>
<p>Jennifer Hanscom, CEO</p>
<p>
As many of you know, the WSMA has a long-standing and foundational relationship with Physicians Insurance A Mutual Company, the medical professional liability insurance company we helped to establish in 1981. I have had the privilege of serving alongside Dr. David Carlson on the PI board for the past seven years, and I’m delighted to share the news of his election as the company’s next president and CEO. His deep understanding of the physician experience, combined with his principled leadership, will serve our community well. Please read <a href="https://wsma.informz.net/WSMA/data/images/Attachments/WSMA-LETTER-FROM-PI.pdf">this message from Shane Macaulay, MD</a>, chair of the board of Physicians Insurance, for more details.
</p>
</div> | 10/16/2025 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| career-tips-on-managing-your-retirement-account | Career Tips on Managing Your Retirement Account | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2025/october-10/career-tips-on-managing-your-retirement-account | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2025/october/senior-couple-645x425px.png" class="pull-right" alt="Senior couple walking on the beach" /></div>
<h5>Oct. 10, 2025</h5>
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<h2>Career Tips on Managing Your Retirement Account </h2>
<p><em>Jim Wilson, Northern Capital Management</em> </p>
<p>For many in the medical community, the largest retirement assets are 401(k) and 403(b) retirement plans. Making informed management decisions throughout your career can significantly impact your retirement. This article outlines key aspects of effective retirement plan management. </p>
<p>As a best practice, we recommend creating and annually updating a fee-based financial plan to help you stay on track. </p>
<p><strong>Income taxes</strong> </p>
<p>Traditional retirement plans reduce taxable income immediately but require taxes on withdrawals. Roth contributions, introduced in 1999, are made with after-tax dollars but allow tax-free withdrawals in retirement. </p>
<p>The choice between traditional and Roth depends on your financial plan and personal circumstances. In our experience, optimizing taxes in retirement generally requires a mix of both pre-tax and after-tax resources. </p>
<p><strong>To Roth or not to Roth?</strong> </p>
<p>Historically, retirees tend to be in lower tax brackets. The tax code benefits retirees through partial taxation of Social Security and favorable treatment of qualified dividends and capital gains. </p>
<p>If you anticipate a higher tax rate later, Roth contributions may be beneficial. If you expect a lower tax bracket in retirement, traditional contributions may be preferable. Tax laws change, making it crucial to assess current rates and fiscal policies. </p>
<p>Generally, taking advantage of known pre-tax deductions (e.g., 401(k), 403(b), health savings accounts, and deductible IRAs) before considering after-tax options like Roth is advisable. </p>
<p><strong>Employer match formulas</strong> </p>
<p>Employer-matching contributions provide free money-always take advantage of them! </p>
<p>Many employers offer a matching contribution up to a certain percentage of salary, helping employees boost their savings without additional personal contributions. In 2025, employees can contribute up to $23,500, with an additional $7,500 catch-up contribution for those age 50 and older. Higher catch-up limits apply for those aged 60-63. </p>
<p>Always contribute enough to receive your employer's full match. If both spouses have employer-sponsored plans, both should contribute up to the match. </p>
<p>Short-term employees should still consider contributing, especially if the plan includes a "safe harbor" match, which vests immediately. </p>
<p><strong>Vesting and last day of service</strong> </p>
<p>Employer contributions may be subject to a vesting period, typically three to five years, meaning you must remain employed for that duration to claim the full amount. Some plans also require employees to be employed on the last day of the plan year to be eligible to receive employer contributions. </p>
<p>If a new employer has a waiting period before contributions are allowed, consider alternative savings strategies such as increasing your spouse's contributions or using an IRA in the interim. </p>
<p><strong>Early year employment changes</strong> </p>
<p>If you're considering a job switch, check your new employer's plan to understand contribution rules and ensure a smooth transition to continue maximizing your retirement savings. Changing jobs early in the year can affect your ability to maximize contributions. If your new employer's plan has a waiting period for participation, you may not be able to contribute fully for that year. Consider alternative savings strategies such as increasing your spouse's contributions, maximizing prior employer plan contributions before you make the change, funding an HSA, or using an IRA. </p>
<p><strong>Retirement plan loans</strong> </p>
<p>Many plans allow participants to borrow up to 50% of their vested balance (maximum $50,000). While loans may seem attractive, they come with risks. Withdrawn funds stop earning market returns, which can hinder long-term growth. Loan repayments are typically deducted from payroll, but if employment ends before the loan is fully repaid, the outstanding amount may be taxed as an early withdrawal and subject to penalties. Other considerations include: </p>
<ul>
<li>Loan origination and annual fees </li>
<li>Fixed interest rates (usually tied to prime) </li>
<li>Maximum loan term </li>
<li>Payroll deduction repayment </li>
<li>Opportunity cost of lost investment gains </li>
</ul>
<p>Always evaluate alternative borrowing options before tapping into retirement savings. </p>
<p><strong>Beneficiary designations</strong> </p>
<p>Your beneficiary designations dictate who inherits your retirement savings. These selections override wills and trusts, so updating them regularly is crucial, especially after major life changes such as marriage, divorce, or childbirth. Spouses typically receive favorable tax treatment when inheriting retirement accounts, while naming minor children can create legal and financial complexities. </p>
<p>Consult with your estate planning attorney to ensure your designations align with your broader goals. </p>
<p><strong>Diversifying beyond retirement accounts</strong> </p>
<p>While tax-deferred accounts are essential, high earners should also consider taxable investment accounts for additional flexibility. Relying solely on tax-advantaged accounts can limit options in retirement. </p>
<p>A diversified approach, including taxable accounts, Roth IRAs, and real estate investments, can provide more withdrawal flexibility while minimizing tax burdens in retirement. Prioritize maximizing deductible retirement contributions first, followed by strategic after-tax investments. </p>
<p><strong>How much should I save?</strong> </p>
<p>A common question without a one-size-fits-all answer. </p>
<p>Many plans automatically enroll new employees at a default contribution rate, typically 2-4%. While this ensures immediate participation, the default rate is often insufficient to meet long-term retirement goals. </p>
<p>Financial experts generally recommend a contribution rate of 20% of gross income, including employer contributions, to stay on track for retirement. Increasing contributions over time is advisable. This "back of the napkin" calculation assumes some reliance on Social Security. </p>
<p>A comprehensive financial plan is a way to definitively determine your ideal savings rate. </p>
<p><strong>Working beyond your required minimum distribution (RMD) age</strong> </p>
<p>Pre-tax retirement accounts require withdrawals starting at age 73 (or 75 for those born in 1960 or later).</p>
<p>
Birth Year: 7/1/1949-1950<br />
RMD Age: 72
</p>
<p>
Birth Year: 1951-1959<br />
RMD Age: 73
</p>
<p>
Birth Year: 1960 or later<br />
RMD Age: 75
</p>
<p>If you continue working, you may defer RMDs by rolling funds into your current employer's plan. Another option is making Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), which allow direct donations to charities, reducing taxable income while fulfilling RMD obligations. Proper RMD planning can help minimize taxes and maximize the longevity of your savings. </p>
<p><strong>Asset allocation</strong> </p>
<p>Retirement plans typically offer two primary investment approaches: </p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Do-It-Yourself (DIY)</strong>: Selecting mutual funds across different asset classes, including domestic and international stocks, bonds, and specialty investments. DIY investors should periodically rebalance portfolios to maintain an appropriate risk level. </li>
<li><strong>Do-It-for-Me</strong>: Designed for investors who prefer a hands-off approach, these funds automatically adjust allocations based on the target retirement date. While convenient, target-date funds may not align perfectly with individual risk tolerances or broader financial goals. </li>
</ul>
<p>For those working with a financial advisor, a customized investment strategy may offer better alignment with retirement planning needs and long-term financial objectives. </p>
<p><strong>Questions?</strong> </p>
<p>Northern Capital Management advisors are Certified Financial Planners with experience working with medical professionals. </p>
<p>You may reach us by utilizing our WSMA Member Contact <a href="https://northernwelcome.com/wsma-contact">Form</a>. </p>
<p>Washington State Medical Association is a client of Northern Capital Management and Northern Capital Retirement Services and receives compensation for promoting our services. As a result of the compensation arrangement there is an inherent conflict of interest. Disclosure </p>
<p><a href="https://northernwelcome.com/wsma-members">Northern Capital Management</a> </p>
</div> | 10/10/2025 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| everett-anesthesiologist-bridget-bush-md-inaugurated-as-2025-2026-wsma-president | Everett Anesthesiologist Bridget Bush, MD, Inaugurated as 2025-2026 WSMA President | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2025/october-10/everett-anesthesiologist-bridget-bush-md-inaugurated-as-2025-2026-wsma-president | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2025/october/bridget-bush-inauguration-645x425px.png" class="pull-right" alt="2025-2026 WSMA President Bridget Bush, MD" /></div>
<h5>Oct. 10, 2025</h5>
<h2>Everett Anesthesiologist Bridget Bush, MD, Inaugurated as 2025-2026 WSMA President </h2>
<p>In addition to debating and voting on policy for the WSMA, the <a href="[@]wsma/events/annual_meeting/wsma/events/annual_meeting/annual_meeting.aspx?hkey=fea49254-3815-4dc9-8710-53ff2e3a100f">2025 Annual Meeting of the WSMA House of Delegates</a> saw the inauguration of a new president and the election of new WSMA officers and board members. </p>
<p>Everett anesthesiologist <strong>Bridget Bush, MD, FASA</strong>, was inaugurated as WSMA president for 2025-2026 in a traditional passing-of-the-gavel ceremony on Saturday afternoon, followed by a reception in celebration. </p>
<p>After graduating in 2006 from Tulane School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana, Dr. Bush served out a military commitment as part of a scholarship from the Health Professions Scholarship Program. Her tour of duty included time in the United States Navy as a flight surgeon, with deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq as the sole medical provider for her squadron. In 2014, she completed a residency in anesthesiology at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle. After residency, Dr. Bush served as a practicing anesthesiologist at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett and at Island Health in Anacortes before transitioning in 2022 to Optum Care Washington, formerly The Everett Clinic, her current employer. In case you missed it, the WSMA featured <a href="[@]Shared_Content/News/Latest_News/2025/an_open_door_and_a_clear_path">a personal profile of Dr. Bush</a> in our September/October issue of <em>WSMA Reports</em>. </p>
<p>On Sunday morning of the Annual Meeting, Dr. Bush addressed the House for her inaugural address where she described regaining her purpose one tree at a time, saying "yes," and building community. Read an <a href="[@]Shared_Content/News/ceo-rounds/2025/ceo-rounds-sept-24-2025-rebuilding-a-brighter-future-for-medicine">edited transcription</a> or <a href="https://wsma.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xMjExMjkwMSZwPTEmdT0xMDc4MTA4MzYxJmxpPTExNzkwNzU1Nw/index.html">watch the video of Dr. Bush's speech</a>. </p>
<p>The following physicians were also elected as officers at the meeting: <strong>Matt Hollon, MD, MPH, MACP</strong>, Spokane internist, president-elect; <strong>Bindu Nayak, MD,</strong> Wenatchee endocrinologist, vice president; and, <strong>John Scott, MD</strong>, Seattle infectious disease physician, secretary-treasurer. The fifth officer of WSMA's executive committee is Past President <strong>John Bramhall, MD, PhD</strong>, Seattle anesthesiologist, who will serve as committee chair. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>In addition to several WSMA members who were reelected to the board of trustees, newly elected to the board for two-year terms were <strong>Hans Cassignol, MD, MMM</strong>, Tacoma OB-GYN; <strong>Herbie Duber, MD, MPH</strong>, Seattle emergency medicine physician; <strong>Stephanie Fosback, MD</strong>, Pullman internist; <strong>Rebecca Kulgren, MD</strong>, Seattle OB-GYN; <strong>Keren Rosenblum, MD</strong>, Vancouver OB-GYN; <strong>Sheree Sharpe, MD</strong>, Tacoma family physician; and <strong>Kristen Wyrick, MD</strong>, Marysville family physician. <strong>Kat Jong, MD</strong>, Friday Harbor psychiatrist; <strong>Brett Collins, MD</strong>, Seattle internist; and <strong>Evan Thomas</strong>, medical student at Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, were elected to serve as young physician, resident, and student trustees respectively, each for a one-year term. </p>
<p>Visit the WSMA website for a <a href="[@]wsma/about_us/leadership/board_of_trustees/wsma/about/leadership/board_of_trustees/board_of_trustees.aspx?hkey=0abc484b-c165-4fb1-90b5-1f72370b18d2">full roster of 2025-2026 WSMA board of trustees members</a>. </p>
</div> | 10/10/2025 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| vaccines-and-autism-prebunking-bad-science-and-amplifying-trusted-voices | Vaccines and Autism: 'Prebunking' Bad Science and Amplifying Trusted Voices | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2025/october-10/vaccines-and-autism-prebunking-bad-science-and-amplifying-trusted-voices | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2025/october/yciaoc-female-patient-physician-with-text-v2-645x425px.png" class="pull-right" alt="Your Care Is At Our Core logo with the text Navigating health care information. Restoring trust." /></div>
<h5>Oct. 10, 2025</h5>
<h2>Vaccines and Autism: 'Prebunking' Bad Science and Amplifying Trusted Voices </h2>
<p>The topic of autism and its causes has reentered the national discourse. As the nation awaits a pending report on this topic out of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Coalition for Trust in Health and Science, a coalition of more than <a href="https://trustinhealthandscience.org/membership/">90 national organizations</a> (including The Physicians Foundation), partnered with Danielle Hall of the Autism Society of America and Dr. Jessica Steier of Unbiased Science to provide education about autism, its causes, and scientific strides made in recent years. The on-demand webinar also provides strategies for organizations and individuals to anticipate and preemptively reduce the spread of inaccurate information about autism. </p>
<h3>Event recording </h3>
<p><a href="https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/u0nNnc_DodaIQohUdHi0thNJSVnA_R4nohYi2s9oeQ185isijnyOKBD__y5fQ_qB.WA3XM83bY27fgbSI">Autism and Its Causes: Where the Science Stands Today</a> (Passcode: aJM4E!UP) </p>
<h3> Resources </h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/08/19/opinion/vaccines-autism-evidence.html?unlocked_article_code=1.fU8.V0tv.bA8BHK74N7I7&amp;smid=url-share">The Playbook Used to ‘Prove' Vaccines Cause Autism</a> (Dr. Jess Steier, <em>New York Times</em>) </li>
<li><a href="https://theunbiasedscipod.substack.com/p/saturday-morning-thoughts-on-the?r=1xymx0&amp;utm_campaign=post&amp;utm_medium=web&amp;triedRedirect=true">Saturday Morning Thoughts on the Tylenol-Autism News</a> (Dr. Jess Steier) </li>
<li><a href="https://autismsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/AutismSociety_Infographic-Autism-and-Vaccines-FAQ_2025-07V1F_Digital.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">The Facts About Autism &amp; Vaccines</a> and <a href="https://autismsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/AutismSociety_Infographic-Autism-and-Vaccines-FAQ_Plain-Language_2025-07V1F_Digital.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Plain Language Version</a> (Autism Society of America) </li>
</ul>
<h3> Five steps organizations and individuals can take today </h3>
<ol>
<li>Proactively prebunk bad science when possible. </li>
<ul>
<li>Use statements like: "You might have heard... but here's what science shows us..." or "When science is politicized, we don't get the full picture. Here's what we know..." </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Seek accurate information through <a href="https://www.evicollective.org/">The Evidence Collective</a>, <a href="https://www.unbiasedscience.com/">Unbiased Science</a>, and <a href="https://autismsociety.org/">Autism Society of America</a> </li>
</ul>
<li>Amplify trusted voices </li>
<ul>
<li>Retweet, repost, and highlight experts on social media. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Elevate the voices of people with autism to humanize the message. </li>
</ul>
<li>Educate your networks </li>
<ul>
<li>Host or share micro-trainings in prebunking and relevant resources. </li>
</ul>
<li>Monitor emerging narratives </li>
<ul>
<li>Use CTHS' Slack channel for emerging trends and content (<a href="mailto:mfenwick@trustinhealthandscience.org">email us to sign up</a>). </li>
<li>Follow The Evidence Collective for early signals of false claims. </li>
</ul>
<li>Encourage media responsibility </li>
<ul>
<li>Partner with journalists to inform them about this topic. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Share credible resources with journalists. </li>
</ul>
</ol>
</div> | 10/10/2025 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |
| rep-nicole-macri-named-2025-wsma-legislator-of-the-year | Rep. Nicole Macri Named 2025 WSMA Legislator of the Year | Latest_News | Shared_Content/News/advocacy-report/2025/october-3/rep-nicole-macri-named-2025-wsma-legislator-of-the-year | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/advocacy-report/2025/october/legislator-of-the-year-2025.png" class="pull-right" alt="2025 WSMA Legislator of the Year, Rep. Nicole Macri" /></div>
<h5>Oct. 3, 2025 </h5>
<h2>Rep. Nicole Macri Named 2025 WSMA Legislator of the Year </h2>
<p>Each year, the WSMA honors a legislator whose influence and leadership help to make Washington one of the best states to practice medicine and receive care. This year, the 2025 Legislator of the Year Award was presented to Rep. Nicole Macri (D-Capitol Hill) at the WAMPAC Luncheon during the WSMA Annual Meeting in Bellevue on Sept. 20.</p>
<p>Rep. Macri was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2016 and has been a legislative leader in promoting access to care, serving on the House Health Care and Wellness Committee and as vice chair of the House Appropriations Committee.</p>
<p>Over the past two legislative sessions, Rep. Macri was the prime sponsor of WSMA priority legislation <a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary/?BillNumber=1392&amp;Year=2025&amp;Initiative=false">House Bill 1392</a> creating the Medicaid Access Program. She shepherded the bill through the legislative process during a challenging budget year, resulting in its passage and delivery to the governor's desk. Her thoughtful facilitation of negotiation meetings, generous accessibility throughout the legislative session, and focused efforts to ensure the bill came up for a vote at crucial junctures were all instrumental to the passage of this legislation. We appreciated Rep. Macri's leadership and collaboration on this important effort.</p>
<p>Rep. Macri also worked with the WSMA to amend another of her bills, <a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/BillSummary/?BillNumber=1123&amp;Year=2025&amp;Initiative=false">House Bill 1123</a>. This amendment clarified that the reimbursement cap for inpatient and outpatient hospital services for state employee health plans would not apply to professional services, ensuring independent physician groups operating in hospital settings would not be adversely impacted by limiting reimbursement. We were grateful for Rep. Macri's willingness to hear our concerns and work with us on a solution.</p>
<p>More broadly, the WSMA and physician community are grateful for Rep. Macri's ongoing work to support access to behavioral health services, address the opioid epidemic, protect reproductive health care services, and support public health. These are crucial and often contentious areas of policy where Washington state's residents all benefit from her leadership.  </p>
<p>The WSMA thanks Rep. Macri for her work on the Medicaid Access Program and for her ongoing partnership to ensure its implementation as well as her legislative leadership.</p>
</div> | 10/3/2025 12:00:00 AM | 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM |